The List of Things that Americans Take for Granted
Raise your hand if you woke up, turned on the light, drank a glass of water, got into your vehicle to enjoy a latte from Starbucks. Did you take for granted?
Sponsored post: The world is forever changing, for the better. Compared to how the world was even 20 years ago, developing nations are seeing huge leaps forward. We see this in both their living standards, rights, and freedoms.
However, if you’ve ever left the United States to go traveling in the developing world you soon realize how lucky you are and just how many freedoms we are afforded that many people in the world do not yet enjoy.
Americans often take for granted these freedoms and privileges and with social media and a consumerist society it is easy to feel unhappy with what you haven’t got rather than what you have got.
Here are a few things you should be grateful for.
Freedom of Speech
As we have seen recently in America, political tensions are running at an all-time high. But people are entitled to their opinion and in America, you can express this without fear of repercussions so long as you don’t resort to violence.
During the 2016 Election, those who believed Donald Trump was wrong for wanting to build a wall and tighten immigration laws expressed their view on Twitter and in liberal-leaning newspapers like The New York Times.
Those who felt that Hilary Clinton was a career politician were also able to express this view on right-wing news outlets like Fox News and in public discourse.
In China, Thailand or, as has recently been seen in Hong Kong, expressing your political views, even in a diplomatic way, can lead to your imprisonment or even worse, the death penalty.
Clean Drinking Water
In America, you can turn on the tap and have a cool glass of H2O in most places, other than perhaps Flint, Michigan. This means you will never get dehydrated and don’t even have to think about where you are going to get your next drink.
In developing nations this freedom is non-existent. Drinking water straight from the tap can lead to you having stomach issues and is not safe. Instead, locals must often rely on bottled water which can be expensive for them or they must have a reverse-osmosis machine installed in their house which can be even more expensive.
In Africa, the locals often have to walk for an entire day in the blazing heat to a well just to get clean water supply for their families. Projects continue to try to make clean drinking water available but it still a challenge for many families.
Freedom to Vote
In America, subject to certain conditions such as age and a clean criminal record, anyone can stand as a candidate in an election, standing on whichever policies they choose and you as the electorate get to choose between them.
But unlike the two-party system in the United States, some countries have a one-party system where you can only vote for candidates who stand for that party. Other countries don’t even an illusion of democracy – they have a dictator in charge and his or her word is what makes the law.
Political freedom is one of the biggest freedoms in America.
4. Electricity
Some countries are still without electricity or electricity to the same standard that is enjoyed in the United States.
Power cuts can be frequent and power from the national grid can be unfairly distributed to those who have power, influence, and money rather than on an equal basis to everyday citizens.
In the Western World, if there is a power cut, you can hire generators to ensure you have backup power until the main power is restored.
5. Job Opportunities
One of the biggest perks of living in a country like America is that there is a lot of work available, although the cost of living is higher than in countries like Colombia. This partly due to being part of a huge country with varied climates so lots of job variety. But it is mainly about the economy and infrastructure.
With a minimum wage, this means a workforce that is mobile and is able to save some money to spend on a car or public transport so that they can move and get a better job if they need one. This level of mobility doesn’t exist in some developing countries and people can end up simply stuck.
Strong GDP levels also means companies and banks are economically sound and are willing to invest and take risks compared to other countries in the developing world.
A stable currency also means America is open for business. Businessmen and women from around the world know that if they invest in the dollar it is not likely to crash or rise in value dramatically. In some countries inflation is rife and keeping money in a bank account or investing in the local currency can be a risky affair.
What do Americans Take for Granted? Quite a Lot
You have a lot going for you if you are born in America. Your passport already allows you to walk into most countries. There will be relatively few questions asked whilst people from other countries will face hours of questioning at the borders.
Americans have the right to express their political views at the ballot box and in real life, without fear of repercussion. They also have the right to stand in elections. And to vote for any candidate of their choice. Other countries have dictatorships or one party systems that prohibit choice. This can lead to corruption.
Americans take for granted the fact they have access to clean drinking water as well. Whilst in developing countries the citizens sometimes have to walk for days at a time in America it as simple as turning on the tap.
If you’re interested in reading more stories about the U.S, be sure to check out our article on former U.S President Barack Obama who is soon to visit Colombia.
This is a sponsored post.
